Cold- and Flu-Fighting Foods

What you eat profoundly affects your ability to fight disease. With all the nasty bugs going around this cold and flu season, it’s especially important to pay attention to boosting your immune system through nutrition. While every nutrient is important in your body’s ability to prevent and fight disease – from colds to cancer – certain nutrients play key roles. Eat foods high in these nutrients every day:

Protein
Protein is one of the most important nutrients in the human body, second only to water. The antibodies which protect your body against pathogens are made of protein, so without enough protein, your body has no chance. Eat protein at every meal. It is in a wide range of foods. Animal protein is in seafood, dairy, meat, poultry and eggs. Vegetarian protein can be found in legumes, soy, vegetables and grains.

Fats and OilsThe type of fat you eat can improve the effectiveness of your body’s immune response because fat ends up in all of your body’s cell walls. To maximize your immune response, use oils in your cooking, instead of solid fat such as butter, stick with foods high in heart-healthy oils, such as nuts, avocados and seafood, which is high in omega-3-fatty acids.

Vitamin DNew research indicates Vitamin D may augments the body’s ability to eliminate disease-infecting microbes. We get it from the sun and a few foods: fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified milk, orange juice, and cereals.

Cranberries
Have antibacterial qualities. Eat them dried for the highest levels of nutritious compounds.

White Mushrooms
Research at Tufts University shows white button mushrooms boost the immune system

Immune-Boosting Eating Strategies

* Eat a lean protein source at every meal – including breakfast, lunch and dinner. 20 grams for women and 30 grams for men is the amount most bio-available per sitting.

* Eat 5 cups of fruits and veggies per day – especially colorful varieties, eat at every meal and snack

* Eat a vegetarian meal every day using beans or soy beans for protein,

* Eat fish high in omega-3-fatty acids, such as salmon, herring, anchovies and sardines, at least two to four times per week, and vegetarian sources such as walnuts, ground flax seeds and canola oil,

* Use canola oil in your cooking and a fresh, newly harvested olive oil for drizzling,

* Eat whole grains at breakfast (such as cereal with skim milk or soy milk) and with sandwiches or wraps at lunch,